News from Plymouth Labour

Tory Council bans twitter

Plymouth City Council and Iran both try to ban Twitter.

Plymouth Labour has reacted with disappointment to the decision by Barry Keel, the Chief Executive of Plymouth City Council, to ban democratically elected councillors from using Twitter.

Councillor Tudor Evans, who tweets using @councillortudor, said:

“Banning Twitter is another kneejerk reaction from a council that is barely able to cope with email let alone YouTube and Facebook. It is worrying that a Council has banned democratically elected Councillors from communicating the political process in Plymouth. Let’s be clear this isn’t about Twitter, this is about the Council stopping Councillors talking about what happens inside and outside the Council’s Ivory Towers.”

Luke Pollard, Labour’s Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for South West Devon was recently named as the tenth most influential Labour person on Twitter, said:

“It is disappointing that the City Council hasn’t recognised the value of using Twitter like so many other councils have.

Twitter has the potential to open up politics providing real-time transparency of the political process. By banning Twitter the Council has done more to promote its use in Plymouth City Council than anything those on Twitter could have done to promote it. In the process they have exposed themselves as a backward looking authority blundering about in the internet age.”

Councillor Bill Stevens, who tweets using @councillorbill, said:

“This is a pathetic move from a petty minded Council. Vivien Pengelly and Barry Keel appear desperate to stop Councillors voicing opinions via Twitter, which is used by millions of people worldwide to share views and ideas. Not even the repressive regime in Tehran, seen as byword for tyranny, can stop Iranians using Twitter in their struggle for democracy, but Plymouth City Council are so paranoid they cannot bare to have any unwelcome views heard.

Councillor Nicky Wildy, who tweets using @councillornicky, said:

“At a time where there is such pressure from the public to open up politics I am surprised that the Council would want to ban Twitter. It should be encouraging every Councillor onto Twitter not banning them from it.”

UPDATE: Plymouth Labour has published a copy of the Chief Executive’s letter banning Twitter.

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